Taxonomic notes on the New Zealand flora: The status of Schizaea australis and S. fistulosa, and lectotypes in Lygodiaceae and Schizaeaceae

Abstract

The status of Schizaea australis and S. fistulosa in New Zealand has been uncertain. The results of a morphological analysis of 66 herbarium collections assigned to S. australis or S. fistulosa are presented here to show that two separate species are found in New Zealand, and that hybrids may occur in a few places where their distributions overlap. Lectotypes are also chosen for four basionyms relevant to New Zealand representatives of the Schizaeales - Lygodium articulatum A.Rich., L. gracilescens Colenso, S. australis Gaudich. and S. fistulosa Labill. This article is a contribution towards clarifying the taxonomic and nomenclatural status of New Zealand plants for the plant names database (Ngā Tipu Aotearoa) and the electronic Flora of New Zealand. © 2013 Copyright The Royal Society of New Zealand.